Clutch operating mechanism



July 2, 1935. H. T. THOMAS CLUTCH OPERATING MECHANISM Filed May 16, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l U a 6. R Y

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. .f w WW m v C Y a? a B llnewm 0 July 2, 1935. H. T. THOMAS 2,006,753

CLUTCH OPERATING MECHANISM Filed May 16, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTRNEYS.

Horacz T 777077745.

Patented July 2, 1935 CLUTCH OPERATING MECHANISM Horace T. Thomas, Lansing, Mich, assignor to Itco Motor Car Company, Lansing, Mich a corporation of Michigan Application May 16, 1932, Serial No. 611,677 3 Slaims. (oi. 192-91) This invention relates generally to clutch operating mechanisms and has particular relation to clutch operating mechanisms especially applicable for operation by fluid pressure and for employment in the operation of motor vehicles.

An object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for operating the clutch of a motor vehicle from the oil or other fluid pressure generated by the engine thereof and which can be employed. during the gear shifting or the coasting of a motor vehicle and under the control of the operator thereof in place of the manual effort heretofore required for effecting such operations.

Another objector the invention is to provide a compact and simplified structure for fluid pressure actuated clutch controlling mechanisms which can be secured as a unit to some part of the motor vehicle body adjacent the clutch op erating mechanism and there attached and operatively connected to the operating mechanism without the considerable amount of effort heretoiore involved in installation of such apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unitary clutch operating mechanism embracing a servo-motor and a valve, under the control of the vehicle operator, for automatically applying the power of the servo-motor for rapidly moving the controlling mechanism of a vehicle clutch into a position where its parts almost engage thereafter slowly and smoothly actuating the clutch operating mechanism until the parts of the clutch frictionally engage to place the vehicle in motion.

Another object of the invention is to eliminate entirely the ordinary manually operated clutch pedal which heretofore has been employed for directly engaging and disengaging the clutch elements and to provide in place thereof a manually controlled fluid operated clutch actuating mechanism having an attachment by which the clutch may be disengaged manually whenever the pedal for operating the brake of the vehicle is depressed to a predetermined extent.

Another object of the invention is to provide an extremely sensitive clutch operating mechanism which can be actuated without any noticeable chart on th part of a vehicle operator and which will respond quickly and exactly to the most minute variations in the position of its actuating mechanism. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a clutch operating mechanism which can be secured as a unit to the crank case of an engine employed in operating a motor vehicle and which contains all of the mechanism necessary for the o eration of a clutch and requires nothing more than attachment to the Vehicle to render it ready for use.

in the particular embodiment of the inven- 5 tion disclosed herein for the purpose of illustration, the crank case of a motor vehicle is provided with an inlet opening communicating with an attaching member provided with flanges to which is secured the outlet passage of a unitary casing embracing a valve controlled servomotor. The servo-motor has a piston for operating a rod which is connected directly to the vehicle clutch operating mechanism and actuated by oil, or other fluid, supplied by a conduit communicating with the motor vehicle lubricating oil circulating pump. The valve, by which the servo-motor is controlled, has an actuating rod and a pedal accessible to the motor vehicle operator and is also actuated automatically in accordance with the position of the piston of the servo-motor.

The operating lever for the, clutch also has an extension and a lost-motion connection which becomes operative for throwing out the clutch whenever the brake pedal of the vehicle is de-' pressed to a predetermined extent, as it normally would be when stopping the motion of the vehicle.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view, through a motor vehicle employing a clutch operating mechanism embracing the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view ofthe clutch operating mechanism shown by Figure 1 and as it might appear along line 22 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 2A is a section on line 2A-2A, Fig. 2.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the clutch operating mechanism as it would appear substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional View through the clutch operating mechanism as it might appear in the plane of line i4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is another longitudinal'sectional view of the structure, taken substantially on line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an oil reservoir for supplying fluid under pressure for operating the mechanism;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 3 except that the parts of the mechanism are disclosed in a different operative position;

Referring particularly to Figure 1, a motor vehicle l6,-employed in practicing the invention, 65

V 'mechanism for varying the performance of the vehicle under different conditions of operation.

, This mechanism is controlled by a gear shift lever 23 projecting through the vehicle floor 24 and into I the passenger compartment where it is accessible to the vehicle operator;

The crank case I8 comprises an upper section 26 and a lower section or oil pan 21 which are provided with cooperating flanges 28 and 29 normally bolted or otherwise rigidly secured together. resilient gasket 3! normally is employed between the flanges 28 and 29 to insure against the leakage of oil from the supply thereof which the crank case normally contains. For the purposes of this invention there is secured, beneath the flanges 29 and Hand adjacent the rear end of the crank case I8,-a heavybracket or attaching member 32 which is held in position .beneath the flanges by bolts 33 extending therethrough and throughthe flanges. The bracket 32 is provided with a passage 34 extending inwardly thereof and communicating with an opening 36 formed in the side of the lower section21 of the crank case adjacent thereto.

Theouter end of the member 32 is provided with a flange 31, surrounding the entrance to the passage 34, and to which is secured by bolts 38; asupporting'flange 39 of a casing 4| of a motor vehicleclutch operating mechanism '42. Secured in ,a cylindrical opening 4 a formed transversely of V 1 the casing 4| is a controlling valve 43 which comi municates with the passage 34 in the supporting .me'mber 32 through a passage formed therebetween in the lower part of the casing. The valve 43 comprises an outer sleeve 46, mounted within the cylindrical openingyhaving a flange 41 formed at one end thereof abutting a shoulder formed in the casing atone end of the cylindrical opening. Beyond the flange 41 the sleeve is reduced somewhat in external diameter to provide an extension 48 around which is disposed a ring 49 secured in a threaded opening formed in the casing and abutting at the inner end thereof the flange 41 for holding the sleeve 46 against rotation within the casing. 7

'In'order to be able to vary the angular position of the outer sleeve 46 within the casing 4|, the

flange 41 of the casing is provided with an out-- wardly projecting lug 6| which extends through an opening 62 of the casing and thereis engaged provided with a flange 52 abutting the end of the stationary sleeve 46 opposite the flange 41. This flange is disposed in a relatively large cavity orfchamber 53, one end of which is-in open communication through the port 53 with the interior of a cylinder 54' of a fluid actuated servomotor 56. In order to provide access to the interior of the chamber 53, and the parts of the valve 43 accessible therefrom, the casing is provided with a removable side wall or closure member 51, which'i's tightly threaded into an opening in the casing communicating with the chamber. The closure member 51 is provided with an axial lug 58, the end of which is disposed directlyopposite one side of the sleeve 5|.to prevent displacement of the latter outwardly from within the stationary sleeve 46.

One side of the flange 52 within the chamber 53 is enlarged as is indicated at 66 toprovide an arm for controlling the angularposition of ,the rotatable sleeve 5| within the stationary This arm is actuated by a pin 61,

sleeve 46. projecting througha slot 68 formed inthe end of the arm, and carried by a pilot rod 69 secured to and operated by a piston 1| which is slidably disposed in the cylinder 54. The pilot rod has an enlarged endportion 12 which is slidably disposed in. a cylindrical opening 13 formed beyond the head end of the cylinder 54 and arranged concentrically. relative thereto.

Along the side of the cylindrical opening'l13 is an elongated notch 14 formed between the passage and the interior of the chamber 53 for slidably receiving thepin 61' and holding the latter in proper position within the slot 68.

Any movement of the piston 1| will result in a corresponding movement of the pin 61 which in turn rotates the sleeve 5|"within the stationary sleeve 46.

Inside the sleeve 5| is rotatably mounted' an inner sleeve 16 having ahead 11 formed in the end thereof opposite the chamber 5| and from which projects an axially disposed sleeve operating rod or shaft 18. This end of the sleeve seats against an annular shoulder 19, formed on the stationary sleeve 46 and directly inwardly from the flange 41, and the inner periphery of which closely surrounds theshaft 18."

The inside of the-reducedportion 48 of the stationary sleeve 46 is filled with anysuitable packing material 8| which is resiliently pressed against the adjacent surface of the shoulder 19 by a spring 82 in turn compressed between a washer 83 supported by the packing and an annular boss, 84 which is secured on the outer end of the shaft 18 by a key86; Projecting laterally from the boss 84 and through a motionlimiting slot formed in the outer extremity of the extension 48 is an integral operating'arm- 81, through the outer end of which extends a pin 88 project-' ing laterally from one side of a cylindrical collar 89. The pin 88 is held rotatably within the end of the arm by anend portion of a coil spring 9| projecting through an opening formed therein and the opposite end of which is secured, as is indicated at 92, to the floor 24 of the vehicle, thus serving the purpose of resiliently holding the arm against the upper limit of the notch formed in the outer end of the reduced portion 48 of the sleeve siliently against the adjacent surface thereof by a spring 96 abutting the opposite surface of the collar at one end and at the opposite end abutting a boss 91 securedupon therod 93. The upper end of the rod 93 extends through an opening 98 formed in the floor of the vehicle I6 and there is provided with an enlarged end 99 which may be employed foroperating the rod directly or the enlarged end may support the free'end 0f apedal IOI pivoted to the floor board adjacent the rod as is indicated at. I02.

- When the operators foot engages either the pedal WI or the enlarged end 68, the rod 93 will be depressed and the resultant compression of the spring 96 will rotate the arm 81 and the inside sleeve "H of the valve 43.

In order to provide means for operating the clutch 2! there projects from the clutch housing I8 a clutch operating shaft M6, on the outer end of which is rotatably secured an operating arm H7. The end of the arm carries a pin I08 by which the arm is pivotally secured to the end of a piston rod, IE9 the opposite end of which is loosely disposed in a cylindrical opening formed in the end of a piston rod extension member Hi. Thelatter member is slidably disposed in a bushing H2 which is rigidly secured in a cylindrical sleeve H3 having a circular web II4 projecting transversely therefrom and the outer periphery of which is threaded in an open end or" the cylinder 5d against a shoulder H6 formed therein. The outer extremity of the bushing H2 terminates inside the sleeve H3 and also inside the outer end of the extension member III,

when the latter is at its inner limit of travel. In the annular space thus provided is disposed a quantity of packing material Ill which is held in position by an annular ring II8. An open toroidal spring H9 seated in an annular recess formed on the inner surface of the sleeve H3 secures the ring I I8 in position within the sleeve.

While outward movement of the piston II will aiso move the piston rod extension member III and the piston rod I69, it is apparent that the plScOn rod can be moved independently of the other two. The rod, however, is resiliently held in such position as to contact with the extension member III by a coil spring I2I, one end of which is secured in an opening formed in the lever lei while the opposite end is secured to some convenient part of the engine II or of the motor vehicle frame adjacent thereto.

Rieidly secured on the clutch shaft I86 adto the rotatably mounted lever I 51 is clutch operating lever I28 having a split end I2! with a bolt I28 projecting thereacross by which the lever is secured in position. In order to provide means for positively operating the clutch 2! in response to the movement of the piston "H, the arm ID! is provided with an outwardly extending lug I22 having projecting thereacross a set screw I23 normally locked in position by a nut I24 and at one end engaging the lever 26.

When the piston II is moved outwardly, the set screw I23 will be moved against-the arm 26 for operating the latter in response to the rotation of the arm It'll. This movement of the arm I26 positively disengages the elements of the clutch 2% thus permitting the engine I! to run independently of the vehicle while a movement of the piston in an opposite direction permits the clutchelements to be engaged for driving the vehicle. It is apparent however that the lever 225 may be moved independently for operating the clutch 2! without afiecting the position of the arm ID! or the piston II.

The outer end of the arm I26 has a bifurcated end I29 in which is pivotally mounted a block I3l having pins I32 extending from opposite ends thereof and disposed in openings formed in the bifurcated ends. This block has an opening extending transversely thereacross in which is slidably disposed a rod I33, on one end of which are threaded a plurality of lccknuts I34, while the opposite end thereof is pivoted as indicated at I36 to a lug i3? projecting outwardly from a vehicle brake operating lever I39. The lever I39, which is keyed at one end upon a brake operating shaft I, is curved at the opposite end in such manner as to project outwardly through an opening formed in the vehicle floor 24 and there is provided with a pad I42 for engagement with the operators foot when the brake of the vehicle is applied.

The nuts I34 are so located on the rod I33 that the block 135 normally is not engaged by the nuts during the operation of the brake unless the brake pedal MI is depressed to a considerable extent. Under such circumstances the block will cause a slight rotation of the lever I26 which, in turn, will disengage the clutch 2|.

In order to avoid creating a pressure in front of the piston II as might otherwise result from the movement of the piston and also in order to drain from the cylinder any oil which might leak beyond the piston; the interior of the cylinder, in a region remote from the head thereof,

is connected by a passage ISI with the passages 4d and 34 communicating with the interior of the cranl; case through the opening 36.

In order to provide means for operating the piston II, the engine oil pump I54 is connected by a conduit I46 with'a cavity I4? formed inside the casing 4| immediately adjacent the central portion of the valve 43. While such expedient ordinarily is not necessary, it may be desirable in certain instances to provide the conduit N33 with an oil supply reservoir I48 in which a quantity of oil under presure may be stored for use during any short period when the oil pressure within the system is relatively low or when the demand for oil is slightly greater than the capacity of the oil pump. The section of the. conduit 546 between the oil pump and the tank I48 may be provided with a check valve I49 and the tank may be connected to the opposite section of the conduit in such manner as to provide a fluid pressure space indicated at I5I. A spring pressed relief valve IE2 is attached to the tank I48, or some other part of the fluid circulating system, for the purpose ofrelieving the pressure therein should any part of the system fail to function properly.

The cavity I41 is adapted to communicate with the interior of the valve 43 through a large elongated opening I formed in the stationary sleeve 35 adjacent thereto and a pair of narrow ports" I51 and I58 formed in the outer and inner rotatable sleeves EI and 18 respectively and from one end to the other of the elongated opening I56. With the piston 'II in its normal position adjacent the head of the cylinder 5-2, which is the position occupied when the clutch is engaged, the port I51 in the outer sleeve 5| occupies a position adjacent one side of the opening I55 in the stationary sleeve; this side being the one away from which the port will be rotated by the rotation of the sleeve 5| when the cylinder during the disengagement of the clutch.

The notch. in the outer end of the reduced portion 48 of the stationary sleeve 45 is so arranged that the spring Sl which maintains the arm 8'! against one of the extremities of the notch will hold the port I58 just beyond the trailing edge of the port I51 and in such position that it will tend to cross the latter port when the pedal IIII is depressed for releasing the clutch.

iston moves away from the head of the In the event the vehicle operator should depress the pedal IIII enough so that the leading edge.

' parts of the .mechanism to be already filled with oil at low pressure, such flow of oil into the valve will almost instantly increase the pressure of all of the oil, which will then result in a movement of the piston 1I away from the head of the cylinder- 54. Such movement of the piston will also move the pin 61, which in turn will so rotate the sleeve 5| as to move the port I51 away from the port I58 until the registering openings between them are closed by the alignment of the trailing and'leading edges of the ports respectively. Under such conditions the flow of oil will be discontinued through the ports and there will be no further movement either of the piston .1I or of the port I51.

Should the operator of the vehicle continue to depress the pedal I OI by a series of limited movements between which the pedal would be held motionless for a short period, the port I56 will overlap the port I51 slightly at the beginning ofieach of such movements and thereafter in each instance the resultant series of movements of the piston 1I will immediately close the registration between the two ports and discontinue the flow of oil, during each period in which the pedal is held motionless. In other words, 35

the movement of the piston 1! is proportional to the depression of the pedal WI and the shaft I06 controlling the clutch 2I may be rotated to any desired extent and at any speed depending upon the extent and rate of depression of the pedal'IIJI. 7 if f Under normal'circumstances, when the operator of the vehicledesires to disengage the clutch 2|, the pedal IIII simply will be depressed to the maximum'extent by a single and uninterrupted movement, which will rotate the port I58 toward the opposite side of the elongated opening I56 at V the same rate of movement that the pedal IOI is depressed. As the port I58 registers with the port I51 during this movement oil from the recess I41 will flow rapidly through the valve 43 and into the cylinder 54 and will move the piston 1I away from the head of the cylinder fast enough to move the port I51 in unison with the port I58 to maintain the flow of oil to the cylinder through the two ports. When the pedal IOI 'reaches its limit of travel, the movement of the port I58 will be discontinued but the port I51 will continue to move as long as it is possible for any oil to flow through the two ports. It will be apparent that just before the trailing edge of the port I51 crosses "the leading edge of the port I58 that the flow of 011 through the two ports willbe greatly throttled and that this will decrease'the rate of movement of the piston II and permit all of the parts of the mechanism to come to rest gradually. I

Should the operator of the vehicle release th pedal IIJI slightly from the aforesaid fully depressed position, some of the oil within the cylinder 54 will immediately be discharged through a plurality of exhaust ports formed in the valve 43 thus permitting the piston H to move towards the head of the cylinder 54 and the elements of the clutch to move to a correspondingextent to wards their engaged position.

In the present form of the invention, the exhaust portsrcomprise a pair of elongated ports I 62 and I63 formed in parallel relationand longitudinally of theinner sleeve 16, and a similar pair of ports I64 and I66 formed in the outer sleeve 5I. directly, with the passage .44 leading to the crank case through a relatively wide'and elongated opening I61 formed in the stationary sleeve. The ports I62 and I64 also communicate with the passage 44 but through a 'wideand elongated opening I68 formed in the sleeve 46and'an intermediate passage. I 69 in which is disposed a throttling valve I1 I which is threaded into the casing and secured adjustably in any desired position by a nut I12.

one another inexactly the opposite relation to the arrangement of the ports I51 and I58 but' in such position that the leading edge of the port I62 .will uncover the trailing edge of the port I64 whenever the pedal IIII is released. The ports I63 and I66 are-arranged in the same relation as the ports I62 and I64 except that the port I63 lags behind the port I 66 to a slight extent and the twowill not register unless it is desirable to quickly engage the elements of the clutch 2I.

In such event the pedal II is released entirely by the removal of the operator's foot therefrom and the resultant rapid movement of the inner sleeve 16 moves the exhaust ports I62 and I 63 both into open communication with the portsfl64 and I66 respectively. 'I'hereafter, the oil from the cylinder 54 will be quickly discharged through the valve 43 and into the crank case I8 through the passages 34 and 44. When the pedal reaches its upper limit of travel, however, the movement of the ports I62 and I63 will be discontinued'alvThe ports I63 and I 66 communicate though the ports I64 and I66 will continue to move until all of the portsare out of register and I the motion of the piston H is discontinued as a result thereof. Inasmuch as the port I63lags behind the port I66 to a slight extent the trailing edge of the latter will pass the leading edge of the former before the ports I 62 and I64 are out of register. Thereafter, during a short interval the oil will flow from the cylinder 54 only through the'registering portions of the ports I62 and I64 and through the passage I69 through which the flow of fluid is materially limited by the valve I1I. Such restriction in the flow of fluid from the cylinder 54 materially decreases the rate of motion of the piston 1I thus resulting in the gradual engagement of the elements of the clutch 2I' just prior to the upper limit'of movement of the pedal IIII. V

This allows the elements of the clutch to engage easily regardless of where the region of engagement of the clutch isrelative to the move- 'ment of the pedal I'III, so long as the movement of the pedal is discontinued approximately in such region of engagement. As heretofore explained, with reference to the dlsengagingmovement of the clutch, the clutch operating mechanism may be operated as slowly as is desired either byreleasing the pedal by relatively short intermittent movements or by a slow andcontinuous movement. In either event the piston 1I moves the inside sleeve 16 to cut off the exhaust of fiuid from the cylinder 54 whenever there is any tendency for the piston H to move at a greater rate or farther in proportion to its length of movement than the pedal Hil has moved; While for the purpose of illustration and in order to render the mechanism adjustable to satisfy ports are provided for the valve 43, it is to be understood that either set may be entirely eliminated, together with the passages associated therewith, and the valve opera-ted entirely by one set of such ports.

In the event the engine "is not running and it is desired to disengage the elements of the clutch, this may be done manually simply by depressing the brake pedal MI somewhat further than it might, ordinarily be depressed merely for the purpose of slowing down the motion of the car. Under such circumstances the brake pedal should be depressed with a considerable force such as might be applied whenever it should be desired to entirely stop the motion of the vehicle. When the pedal is so depressed it will move downwardly far enough for the nuts I34 on the rod I33 to engage the block I3], thus rotating the arm I26 slightly and disengaging the clutch sufficiently that the gear shift lever I23 may be operated to throw the transmission mechanism into neutral position and thereafter the brake pedal may be released as an ordinary clutch pedal would be released under similar circumstances.

During such movement of the arm I26, under the influence of the brake pedal, the piston ii will not be moved in the cylinder because the rotatable connection between the clutch shaft tilt and the arm IB'I permits the arm I26 to be moved away from the set screw I23 without rotating the arm Hi1. This connection between the vehicle brake and the clutch thereof also renders it possible to disengage the clutch 2! during the movement of the vehicle and without depressing the pedal IIII, in the event it is desired to bring the vehice to a complete stop. Iri such event the brake pedal HI! is depressed with considerable force, as it would be under any circumstances when stopping the vehicle relatively quickly, and such depression will move the lever l39 downwardly far enough for the nuts I34 to engage the block I3I and rotate the lever I26 into clutch disengaging position. The gear shift lever 23 then may be moved into neutral position and the brake released whenever the car finally comes to rest.

In view of this connection between the clutch operating mechanism and the brake lever of the vehicle it is entirely unnecessary to provide the ordinary manually operated clutch pedal for disengaging the clutch during unusual conditions of operation, or in the event it is for any reason undesirable to employ this mechanism.

Besides the embodiment disclosed herein, there are numerous modified and elemental forms and applications of the invention. The patentable limits are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a motor vehicle, the combination with the engine and a clutch having an actuating rock arm, of manually controlled power actuated means for operating said clutch comprising a casing rigidly mounted at the side of the engine crank case and inclumng transversely extending cylinders and port connections therebetween, a

piston in one of said cylinders, a rod directly connecting said piston with said clutch actuating rock arm, a rotary pilot valve and a surrounding sleeve valve in the other of said cylinders, a

the engine and a clutch having an actuating rockarm, of manually controlled power actuated means for said clutch comprising a casing rigidly mounted on the side of the engine crank case and including cylinders having transverse axes and connecting ports therebetween, a piston in one of said cylinders, a rod directly connecting said piston with said clutch actuating rock arm, a rotary pilot valve and a surrounding sleeve valve located in the other of said cylinders, means enclosed within said casing comprising a rock arm on said sleeve valve and a rod connected to said piston engaging said rock arm for rotating said sleeve in proportion to themovement of said piston, a rock arm for actuating said pilot valve and a rod for actuating said latter rock arm extending through the toe board of the vehicle in a position for convenient pedal actuation.

3. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an engine provided with a crank case and oil pan, and a clutch having an actuating rock arm, of a manually controlled power actuating means for said clutch comprising a hollow bracket secured to the engine crank shaft and communicating with the oil pan, a casing mounted on said bracket having a valve cylinder therein with an exhaust passage commtmicating with the passage in said bracket and a second cylinder having its axis transverse to that of said valve cylinder and with a port connection to the latter, a piston in the last mentioned cylinder, a rod directly connecting said piston with said clutch operated rock arm, a rotary pilot valve and a surrounding valve sleeve located in said Valve cylinder, a connection for su plying fluid under pressure to said valve cylinder, manually operable means for rotating said pilot valve to admit pressure fluid to said piston cylinder, and a connection between said piston and sleeve valve including a rod on the piston, a rock arm on the valve and a pivotal connection therebetween for the purpose described.

HORACE T. THOMAS. 

